Corruption
by FF Insomnia
Summary: When the daughter of a powerful king becomes known to the world of Alagaesia, everything changes. She must figure out the truth behind her fathers plans before she gives into corruption. Possible Brisingr spoilers, and OC PoV.
1. Birthday Girl

**Hey, what's up? If you have been reading my other stories and been wondering where I have been for this time, I want to apologize. I was getting ready to blame it on me being busy or something, but I have to be honest with you all and myself. I've been downright lazy, and I've had plenty of time to write. But my laziness ends here, I promise. Oh, and the next Rider Saphira update is coming soon, don't worry.**

**If you are expecting an amazing fic, please feel free to leave now. If you are expecting a fic that I have tried my hardest on, then this is it. **

**If you have any advice, please don't be afraid to tell me. I would really like to know, because that's the whole reason I'm here in the first place: To improve my writing. Also, if this chapter has you confused, please don't let that stop you from reading the second. It will explain a lot, and even more on the third.**

All was still and silent. Anna tip toed through the dark library, clutching a dagger in her hand so tight that her knuckles were white. If she made one noise she would be found out, and every guard in Galbitorxes castle would swarm there. Her slender frame was illuminated as she passed a window that the moonlight was drifting through. She was tall, and in this light her short hair was a dark, almost brown color, although it was actually red.

She wore tight cloth clothing. It wasn't heavy, made no noise and it wouldn't trip her up. Those were three solid reasons she wore it, especially for this mission.

She realized her mistake when she stepped into the light filtering in through the window. She stuck close to the wall now, ducking under any windows so her form wouldn't be visible against the sky and the ocean below it. She heard the gentle waves lapping against the shore, and she found herself taking one large step for every lap, as if it might cover up any noise her bare feet made. She wore no shoes. She needed none.

Anna took a deep breath. She reached the double doors leading out of the library. She was making good time. The sun wouldn't rise for another three hours or so, so there were less people up and about in the castle.

Her goal was a simple one. Get inside the castle and get the battle plans from Galbatorixes room by any means necessary. It was by far the most dangerous task she had ever been assigned, and she would not fail. She couldn't, for death would be the price to pay.

Anna heard nothing on the other side of the door. She got on her hands and knees and peered under the door where light was shining through. She saw no moving shadows of mens feet. That was good enough for her.

With the slowest of movements she inched the door open. She didn't open it all the way, just enough for her to squeeze through. Like she thought, no guards. With a trembling hand, she closed the door again. She wasn't brave, like she sometimes liked to believe, but she had to do this.

The hallway was dim, and it seemed to stretch forever. Candles hung from chandeliers and some were sitting atop bookshelves. Galbatorix did love books. Particularly ones about dragons. The paintings on the wall suggested that. That, and the fact that he had a strong love of himself, for between every picture of a dragon there was a picture of him. In some of them he was on the battlefield, others he was standing beside large piles of gold and jewels. He thought very highly of himself, that much was certain.

It was only when her mind started to drift that she heard footsteps. Quick footsteps, hard, pounding. They got louder. There was nowhere to hide.

The owners of the noise rounded the corner. Five or so heavily armed guards, yelling in loud voices. Most of what they were yelling was mixed and slurred, and it dawned on Anna that they must have been drinking recently. That was what they did behind Galbatorixes back, apparently. It must be better than roaming the halls of a castle all night.

_Too easy. _This thought wasn't inspired by bravery, it was actually some sort of pity for the men she had to slaughter. But what if she didn't have to kill them? She didn't need to worry about them escaping and alerting anyone else, they had done that with their voices. Even at this moment she heard guards yelling from the direction she came.

So they had her cornered, did they? Not quite.

A dagger was nice for slitting a mans throat subtly, but she would be doomed against these men with their swords. Why, even one of them was lugging around a broadsword! It would cut her clean in half if she tried to fight.

Anna made up her mind. She wouldn't surrender, nor would they let her on second thought. She couldn't turn back for risk of running into the possibly sober crowd of guards, which would have been worse. She ran straight at the soldiers in front of her. They didn't even have time to raise their swords.

She sprang forward like a lion, knocking the man in front of her over backwards. She landed cleanly on his chest, and before any of them could do anything she made it through the gap. Now they were behind her, just like she had planned.

Now she ran. She concentrated on taking deep, steady breaths through her nose. It did nothing to calm her, but her stamina withheld. She heard the men behind her. Now and again she would tip over a bookcase or a vase on a pedestal to try and trip up the guards.

The stairs were ahead. The great spiral staircase that went on for ages. Without looking back she bolted up them, covering about two to three steps with each stride. She heard the guards, and they were close. She acted on instinct alone, and with a mighty voice that echoed through the castle, she yelled, "Adurna!" She was no magician, but she knew a few spells. They came in handy, considering she wasn't a warrior, either.

Water from an unknown source flooded the stairs behind her. The tidal wave engulfed the stairs, and by the mens screams behind her she figured they had gotten washed back down. But she did not slow her pace. They might catch back up if she did.

She reached the top of the stairs sooner than she thought, and there before her eyes was the large double door, trimmed with gold. Galbatorixes room. Without hesitating she pushed it open. He wasn't here. Good.

There was a bed big enough for five people in the middle, various chests and dressers against the wall, and there, on top of a small table, were the battle plans. The plans that could defeat the Varden once and for all. She scanned over the page, making sure it was the real deal. It was. She stuffed it into her pocket.

The second she did she heard footsteps running through the hall behind her. She looked over her shoulder and sure enough, here came nearly a dozen men, armed from head to toe. The leader spoke up. His voice was smug and confident, and she knew under that helm he had a large, mocking grin. "Well well, look what we have here. Trying to steal the kings plans, eh? You know what the punishment for that is." All the men stepped forward at once, and Anna took an even bigger step back.

"Afraid of death, girl? You shouldn't have come. You will fail like all the rest of them!" The men behind him all yelled their agreement. The bunch was moving closer, and it reminded Anna of a pack of wolves moving in on a frightened rabbit. That was how she felt now, small and outnumbered.

Anna spat at the mans feet and turned to run. Luckily her light clothing allowed her to move faster than the soldiers with their heavy armor. She ran to the window near the bed and opened it. The guards were right behind her. She didn't look down. If she did they would catch her. She scrambled out the window and onto the roof. Anna heard the men behind her, but she made her way over the castle. Some of the red tiles slid under her feet and made her loose her balance, but she carried on.

Fear and panic flooded over her, and she doubled her speed. But the next time a loose tile slipped she fell on her back. She began to slide down the steep roof of the castle and toward the ocean bellow. If she fell at this height she would die for sure. She could use a spell, but what if it used too much of her energy?

Anna stabbed the dagger at the roof, trying to get it to stick. It wouldn't, it merely bounced off one of the tiles and she lost her grip on it. She could think of no spell under this pressure, and with a terrified scream she slid off the roof at a quick speed. It was a long way to the sea bellow, possibly filled with jagged rocks that would break her bones when she slammed into them.

Her vision flickered as she was falling, and in the sky above her she thought she saw a red dragon. Then everything went black.

-----

Anna gritted her teeth as she felt a stinging in her shoulder. She opened her eyes slowly and found herself in the forest. It all came back to her now. The mission, and more importantly her failure. She almost wished she would have died during the mission to avoid any punishment Galbatorix might have.

"About time you're awake." Came a voice from only a few feet away. Her head snapped to the left to see who it was. But she knew even before she saw his face. She knew that voice. "Murtagh, why did you save me? I failed, I don't deserve to live. Or are you doing this just to see my execution?" Ah, Murtagh. His dirty black hair was hanging down over his face like it always did, almost hiding the grin he wore. Many of the maids felt weak at their knees around him, although Anna never saw the attraction.

"Now why would I do that? Just because we are not necessarily friends doesn't mean we have to be enemies, now does it?" He outstretched his hand, helping her sit up. She was now leaning against the back of a tree trunk, examining her bandaged shoulder. Murtagh must of noticed. "That was Thorn. When he caught you his claw slipped, and, well, it wasn't pretty."

Thorn spoke up next, and although he was no where to be seen, his voice echoed in both their minds. _Sorry, love. I forget how delicate the human skin is. _Anna shuddered, having never gotten used to a voice inside her head. But she accepted his apology nonetheless.

"I failed, though. Galbatorix will have me executed." At her words Murtagh laughed. When she gave him a questioning look he explained. "You actually believe they saw Thorn catch you? My dear, you underestimate his speed. He caught you and fled before anyone could bat an eye. They must believe you escaped. More importantly, you escaped with _this._" He reached into his bag and pulled out the battle plans, setting them on the ground.

"You went through my belongings?" If Anna could, she would have punched him, but her shoulder made her incapable of any such thing.

"It fell out." Murtagh shrugged his shoulders. _Sure it did. _Anna thought, but she didn't speak it aloud. Instead she lifted the waterskin that Murtagh had left beside her to her lips. The cool water felt good as it ran down her throat, and it seemed to bring back the strength in her voice. "So I passed?"

"Yes, and Galbatorix has a surprise for you. Oh, and Happy Birthday, Anna."


	2. Birthday Present

**Sorry this chapter has taken so long. The fact that it is short makes it even worse. But this time I do have excuses, being that I've been having some computer trouble along with some real life trouble. But everything seems to be cleared up now, so here's chapter two. You will be happy to know that chapter three is almost done, just needs to be spellchecked and proofread.**

**By the way, can you find the Halo quote mixed somewhere in here? **

Oh, the test. Galbatorix forced his children to take it the day before their sixteenth birthday. If they survived, they earned it. Each test was unique, and designed to get them killed. And she passed! She would normally have been ecstatic, but the pain in her shoulder drew away from those emotions.

The sun was rising from behind the hilltops when she started hearing the sounds of the ocean. The sound was like music to her ears. Her father was never one to be compassionate, so when he informed her that she might die during the test she believed him.

There were stories of Galbatorixes children. Three others. She couldn't recall their names, for she was told these stories long ago. But each one of them had died on the test. The first was a boy, black hair and brown eyes, she was told. He had drowned during his test, despite his love of the water. The second was a girl, who had spent her days learning about magic. Needless to say, Galbatorix picked a test that was related to their interests, hers being several magic duels, which she had obviously lost.

It repulsed her that Galbatorix would turn something they loved to do against them. Was it to his sick amusement that each one of them die from their hobbies?

It also insulted her that Galbatorix picked her challenge to be thievery. Did he think that was what she was to be, a mere thief? Or did he just associate her love of running with it? If so, it was a rather lame comparison in her opinion. But she overlooked it.

There was another child of Galbatorix. She couldn't remember anything about him, for no one spoke of him. She heard his name mentioned a couple of times, but she couldn't recall it. She made a mental note to ask one of the elders about him.

Her and Murtagh had split up. If everyone saw her riding on the back of Thorn with him they would suspect something. She had to walk back on her own. Luckily though Murtagh hadn't taken her very far into the forest beyond the castle. By now word would have spread that she completed her assignment.

The castle gates came into view, and the guards posted out front eyed her with awe. When she glanced their way they dipped their heads politely. One of them yelled to the men ontop of the castle wall, and the gate began to open.

"Miss Anna, I can't believe my eyes! Everyone believes you to be dead!" The man who spoke was older than most. His hair had long turned grey, but he was one of the most loyal men her father had. Possibly one of the best, too. She dipped her head in return.

"As you can see, that is false. I completed my mission, now I need to talk with my father." Anna noticed the smallest of a smile form on the mans face. He nodded and the guards stepped aside as the gate was open. She walked through at a quick pace, and once she was past at an even quicker one. She wanted to show everyone that she was not dead, but alive! Alive and well, being the first of Galbatorixes children to survive the test.

It was obvious enough that what the guard said had been true. The people probably did think she had died. That was made certain by the shocked glances and whispers as she passed. But as soon as the castle came in sight she felt an arm around her shoulders. Before she knew it she was brought into a tight embrace. "Anna!" A loud voice greeted, patting her on the back roughly. "I knew you would survive! They all thought you were done for, but I never doubted you for a second. Not once! I even placed a friendly little wager that you would survive, I did, and..."

The man Anna knew as Rob continued to talk. She smiled. Rob was her old riding trainer and good friend. The people around them looked at Rob as if he were a crazy man, actually speaking to Anna as if she was a normal person, and not the kings daughter. But that was what she liked about him.

"You placed a bet on my life?" She asked, a good toned humor in her voice. She thought it would have been terrible if he lost, but at least she wouldn't have to live with the guilt.

"Not a large one." That was a lie. She knew him, he couldn't place a small bet if his life depended upon it.

"Oh, so you did think their was a chance of me dying!" Anna countered. She laughed as Rob seemed to be tongue tied, trying to avoid insulting her again. But she changed the subject. "Listen, I have to go. I need to talk with Galbatorix, okay?"

"Why, of course! I'm sorry to have kept you, you must be very eager to see him. If you get the time though, can you come by my place later this evening? I've got something for you." With that he hurried away, still talking to himself under his breath. Anna laughed, shaking her head and continuing on to the castle in a rather good mood now.

-----

She hurried up the stairs, unable to contain her excitement. Even her injured shoulder couldn't distract her. She went up the stairs almost faster than she had last night when guards were chasing her. Finally the double doors lined with gold trim came into view down the hallway. She slowed her pace so Galbatorix wouldn't hear her running She would keep her composure around him.

She knocked on the door, and after a few seconds they opened. No one was on the other side, so she assumed it was magic. Her father was sitting at his desk, writing furiously on a piece of parchment. He didn't even glance up when she came in. Without a word she strolled over to where he was sitting. She pulled the battle plans from her pocket and slapped them down on the desk in front of him. He abruptly stopped writing when she did so.

"I succeeded." Anna spoke simply. Her voice was free of any emotion. In front of him she was no one. She was simply a pawn for him to use, and she had come to accept that.

"I know." Without a word of congratulations Galbatorix stood up and walked over to the trunk that he kept in the corner of his room. He opened the lid and began rummaging through it. She heard the rustle of parchment and the clatter of gold and jewelry as he shifted them around.

He seemed older than usual now, as if he were incredibly weary. She knew he was old, but she had never seen him like this. Normally his hair was snowy white instead of this greyish color. His white cape was wrinkled and dirty, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. She worried about him.

"I have something for you. Not really a gift, since you will actually be giving the gift." His words confused Anna, but she understood completely when he pulled out a shining green dragon egg. It was magnificent, as if the glow was from the being within and not just the light reflecting off the shell.

"But father, we have tried this before. It simply won't hatch for me." And they had tried, over a dozen times. The egg seemed like it would sooner jump out the window and escape to the sea than it would hatch for her. But her father never gave up.

"Oh, this time I am sure it will work." There was something in his voice that sent shudders down her spine. Before she had any chance to ask what he planned to do he set the egg on the floor. He placed his hands over it and took a deep breath.

"For the longest time I have been working on this spell." His voice was hardly more than a whisper, and Anna had to kneel down beside him to even hear. "I have spent countless hours. But I found a way, Anna. I found a way." An edge of insanity clung to his voice and his eyes were wide.

He began murmuring under his breath, so low that it was almost inaudible. Anna caught the last few lines. They were in the ancient language.

"Be free, o' dragon, release yourself from your prison. Let all those who stand in your way cower. Succumb to my daughter, for she is your master!" The egg cracked. And again. It began to shake, even with her fathers hands trying to hold it in place. Anna just watched in amazement, unsure of what to do. A dark fog began to encircle her and her father.

A roar of pain could be heard, ringing in their ears. Anna gritted her teeth and sucked in her breath. The fog grew darker, and she found it hard to breath. But Galbatorix continued. He was yelling now, commanding the dragon in the ancient language. "You shall be her shield, and you shall be her sword!" The dragon let out a pained wail and it burst from the egg. It was a beautiful green, which looked dark in the fog that now completely surrounded them. It continued to wail in agony.

It was then that Anna broke free from her trance. Galbatorix was breathing heavy, leaning over the dragon. It was writhing on the ground, eyes tight shut as if it were trying to escape this nightmare.

"Stop it!" Anna yelled. Without a second thought she threw her body over the hatchling, protecting it from her father. Everything seemed to slow for a moment. But then a pain. A coursing pain that surged through her right hand. She gripped it with her left and fell onto her side. It was the worst pain she had ever felt, and it spread throughout her body.

She wished she hadn't done that. She wished that she hadn't done any of this. Why couldn't she had just died during the test? It would have been nothing compared to this pain. A line was being traced in her palm. A silvery line, and it burned itself into her skin at a slow, agonizing pace. She reached out her left arm and wrapped it around the dragon. She pulled the small creature toward her. It seemed to be in as much pain as her, so it didn't object.

The fog seemed to clear. They were back in Galbatorixes room. Her father was panting for breath, looking even older than he had when she came in. But his voice was just as menacing. "Leave, now! I need to regain my strength. Care for that dragon, it is the future of the Empire."

Anna did as she was told. The pain was reduced to a dull throbbing in her hand. She picked up the baby dragon, who was still unaware of what was happening. It felt so cold. She almost ran out of the room. She was swaying back and forth, feeling quite dizzy. But she didn't slow. She needed to get the dragon away, back to her room. She was glad Galbatorix said nothing of her interrupting his spell. He was probably too tired.

-----

Anna set the dragon on the ground and went over to her bed. She felt like she was going to be sick, and she figured laying down for a while would help. It also might help her mind, still in shock. She knew about the Riders Mark, and she heard that it was supposed to hurt. But that? That was unbearable.

After she had been laying there for a minute she dared to look at her hand. She was almost scared of what she would see. She raised her sore arm up and examined her hand. The silver line wasn't there anymore, but you could see where it was branded into her hand.

A crash from the other side of the room made her jerk her head up. The dragon was staring at her, its eyes wide. In front of it lay a broken vase that used to have flowers in it. The dragons eyes were so pleading, as if it knew what it had done. Anna just smiled and walked over, picking the larger pieces up and throwing them away. She would pick the smaller ones up later.

The dragon ventured closer to her. It sniffed her hand curiously. She remained perfectly still, not wanting to scare off the poor creature. It was so small compared to her, it was obvious that it would be scared. It began to back away, and so she retreated to the other side of the room.

She was supposed to go and see Rob today. Did she have time? The sun was already high in the sky, and she wanted to bond with the dragon some. He might be expecting her, but he did say "if you have time." Ah, I'll make time. Anna decided.

Her mouth was dry and her whole body ached. Galbatorix must have taken some energy from her for the spell. Her head drooped and she discovered how weary she was. The exhaustion kicked in so suddenly that it took her by surprise, but if not from the spell, where else?

Anna dropped onto her bed, not even taking the time to change out of her cloth clothing that she still wore from yesterday. Her eyelids closed and within seconds she was asleep.

And all the while she slept her mind connected with the young dragon's. Their memories, thoughts and emotions merging into one being. But for better or worse?


	3. From rags to warrior

**I lied when I said this chapter was almost done. But you'll be happy that this one is pretty long. **

**This chapter was possibly one of the most fun I have ever written. I got to play around with some cool ideas, some of them contradicting each other to where I had to pick between them. But it was fun nonetheless, and I hope you like this chapter. **

**Plus, we might be seeing a little from our favorite dragon and rider pair...**

**On a completely different note, isn't it wonderful to look back on your old stories and see how far you've come? If you're ever feeling down about your writing that's the best remedy.**

_The door. Anna held her breath, her heart pounding and her eyes wide. She waited for the sound. The sound that would ring through her ears, making her entire being shudder with exhaustion. The sound was coming from the door. The whispers. The whispers that would come for her. They took no form, but she sensed their presence._

_Again! The whispers. They approached, becoming louder and louder, drowning out any thought that occurred in her head. Anna put her hands over her ears, but they still whispered in their deadly tone. She could find no escape inside of her mind._

_The door creaked. It opened less than an inch, and from the engulfing darkness protruded a substance unknown to her. Some may call it liquid, others may call it smoke. But all Anna knew was that it was dark. It covered her walls, devouring everything in its path. It was corruption, coming for her. Coming to engulf her soul and bind her to its will._

_"No!" Anna tried to scream, but her mouth was so dry that it came out as a mere whisper. She took a step back and shook the tears from her eyes. There was only one way away from the darkness. Her window. It was huge, with a stool facing in front of it from when she used to draw the hills beyond the castle. She knocked over the stool in her haste, and without a look back she jumped. The glass shattered, cutting her arms and face, but she paid it no heed._

_Vertigo overtook her, and just when she felt like she was about to pass out, she felt a dull throb in her back. Two, right below her shoulders and apart from one another. The pain drew from her fear. Then another emotion boiled to the surface of her mind. One that fought off the oncoming corruption. One that kept her safe and protected._

_She felt herself lose control over her limbs. They stopped their flailing and became perfectly still. The aching in her back increased, until two large wings, green as the grass emerged from her back. They were angled downwards, increasing her speed. Her tail was perfectly straight, keeping her from spinning out of control. Wait, since when did she have a tail? Had she been in control of her body she would have panicked, but luckily something else was controlling her limbs._

_Her wings shifted, and they began flapping at a slow but strong pace. Her barbed tail shifted too, angling her around the castle and into the trees. The corruption was being fought away by the one emotion that came from nowhere. Courage. But it wasn't hers, that was certain. But if not from her, then maybe it was from..._

"Anna!" The voice snapped her awake from her dream. She shot up from her bed, and a surprised hiss like sound came from the dragon who had been sleeping on her stomach. It was now on the edge of the bed, having been launched through the air at her sudden movement. It looked just as frightened as she was, as if it had been having the same dream. Or it could just be the fact that she had sent it flying...

"Anna! Open up!" She pushed her dream to the corner of her mind and went to the door. She was hoping it wouldn't be him, but she knew it was. Probably coming to brag about saving her, if nothing else. Anna hesitantly opened the door, and to very little surprise, she found Murtagh standing there.

"Finally. I've been knocking for the past five minutes." It was quite obvious she had been asleep, with the way she kept blinking her eyes to try and focus them. But he didn't say anything. "Can I come in?" The question caught her off guard, but she had no objections. Without a word Anna opened the door the rest of the way and he entered.

"By the gods, you smell worse than I do!" Murtagh muttered under his breath, loud enough for Anna to hear. Her cheeks turned red, but she knew he wasn't serious. That was just their relationship. They fought like siblings, if not worse. "Well, that's some feat!" Anna countered, even though she fully realized what a lame retort it truly was.

"Where's the dragon?" But before Murtagh even finished his sentence Anna noticed his eyes spot the young creature. It was poking its head out from under the bed, eyeing both of them carefully. Murtagh kneeled down so he was now only twice as big as the baby dragon. Still, it must have been intimidating for the hatchling, for it retreated further under the bed.

"So I see your father finally managed to hatch the egg. Honestly I'm surprised it took him so long." He was still staring at where the dragon had been moments ago, looking slightly disappointed that it had fled.

"But the spell he used hurt it! He forced it to hatch, even though it didn't pick me." She had been thinking that all day, letting it eat away at her. She felt sick at her stomach, angry at Galbatorix for hurting the creature and sad at the same time. "If I may ask, how did Thorn hatch for you? Did Galbatorix make it hatch?"

Murtagh shook his head without meeting her eyes. "No, no. If he had made mine hatch then he would have already known how to make yours hatch. It was just luck. Galbatorix made all of his prisoners meet with the egg. He tortured us both until we swore loyalty to him. Has he made you swear anything yet?"

"Nothing major. Just that I shall never run away, nor give any information about the Empire to strangers. And of course, that I will never betray him." Anna held her head in her hands. Her head was throbbing and it made her want to lay down.

"Galbatorix wants us both to meet him in the courtyard in half an hour." Murtagh finally spoke after a few minutes of trying to coax the dragon out from its hiding place. He was on his stomach staring under the bed, where two little green cat-like eyes were staring back.

"You tell me this now?" Had there been more time she would have pummeled him for not mentioning something so serious the moment he arrived. But instead she started rummaging through the drawers in her room. There would be time to get her revenge later.

"Would it make you any angrier if I told you I knew for the past hour?" Murtagh pushed himself off of the ground, a look of amusement in his eyes.

"Get out!" Anna took his shoulders and guided him to the door. Once it was open she pushed him out into the hallway, where he just laughed and strolled off. "Meet you in the courtyard. Oh, and you might want to bring some armor. Your little rags won't help you much in this kind of training."

Anna slammed the door, gritting her teeth. Rags? Seriously?

Either way, he was right. Galbatorix would most likely start her off with sword fighting today. Did she have armor? Yes, of course. But was it battle ready was the question.

Her closet was pretty empty. Just a few clothes on either side, and a big dresser in the middle. She kneeled down, opening the very bottom drawer. There it was. Hardly worthy to be called 'armor,' but it would have to work. She reached down and picked it up, narrowing her eyes at the weight of it.

In the set there was a breastplate, plate legs, and a helm. They were made of iron, not the strongest material for armor, and even worse they were heavy. Not heavy enough to keep her from moving, but still enough to slow her down a good deal. She laid them out on the bed and began putting the armor on.

First came the breastplate. It matched her curves perfectly, having been made especially for her. This was actually her first time wearing it, in all honesty. She preferred lighter clothing, but when it came to sword fighting she would prefer to be a little safer. Anna finished strapping the first piece of the set on. It felt heavy, and she felt confined. But it would protect her, and that was the most important thing.

Next came the plate legs. They were individual pieces that strapped and buckled together, forming a decent cover over her legs. When she stood up she nearly fell back down onto the bed at the new weight they added. But they didn't stop her legs from bending, so it was tolerable. She proceeded to put on the helm. It had a narrow slit where her eyes could see out. But to her dismay she could see nothing to the sides of her, making it easy for someone to sneak up and attack her from the side. But it would do for now, considering she was most likely going to be attacking only one opponent.

Anna decided not to bring her dagger. What help would it be anyway if they were to be swordfighting? Her eyes scanned the room for the dragon. It was out from under the bed now, watching the door as if making sure the strange human wasn't coming back.

"Come." Anna whispered, kneeling down and snapping her fingers. The dragon seemed to understand, as it padded softly toward her. She outstretched her arms to pick it up, with its only resistance being a frightened squeak.

**-----**

"So what will you name your dragon?" Murtagh asked after a long moment of silence. He glanced back at the baby dragon that slowly followed them. It stayed quite a way back, as if afraid to get too close.

Murtagh had waited for them at the gate, and now they were walking up the large mountain that led to the spot where Galbatorix was to be waiting. The dragon had been clawing and scratching at her arms in a desperate attempt to escape until she had finally just put him down.

"I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl. How can I decide now?" Anna replied. She noticed Murtagh glancing back every now and again to make sure it was still there. But she had no need to do such, as she felt it in the back of her mind, slowly following behind them.

"There really is no way to tell until they are old enough to speak. But dragons grow quickly. Especially if he did what he did to Thorn." Murtagh frowned. Anna knew the story somewhat, but she didn't press him for details.

Silence filled the air for a few more minutes, until Murtagh spoke up. "Anna, I told you to bring _some_ heavier armor. I didn't say to dress up like a knight. Lose the helm." Without permission he slid the helm over her head and threw it into the dust.

Anna glared at him and went to retrieve it. But as soon as she turned around Murtagh grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along. "Leave it. It wouldn't do you any good anyway." Despite her longing to pick up the helm and dust it off, she gave up. They were running late anyway.

-----

As soon as they arrived they saw Galbatorix standing on the edge of the cliff. Next to him sat Shruikan, fitted with a saddle. As they approached the king he turned around and greeted them. In his hand was a sword. But it wasn't just any sword. The hilt was a light green, with a white ivy pattern running up to meet the blade. The pattern continued on the blade and ran up to the very tip. The blade was tinted green and the white ivy pattern glowed.

"Did you think the dragon was your present?" For once something resembling a smile flickered over Galbatorixes face. But then it was gone, and he held out the sword to her. "Anna, Dragon Rider of the Empire, I bestow this powerful sword upon you. May it assist you in your duties and keep you safe from harm."

Anna was still, half in shock that the beautiful sword was hers. Murtagh nudged her forward roughly, snapping her out of her daydreams. "I gladly accept." She dipped her head in thanks and took the sword and sheathe. It felt so balanced, so elegant... so powerful...

But that was besides the point. She would admire her newly attained sword later. "If I may ask, what will we be training today?"

"We will be mixing swordfighting and dragon riding, considering those are two very important subjects. You will ride Shruikan. I know you two do not share the permanent bond a dragon and rider do, but it will have to do for now." These words shocked Anna. She moved her gaze over to her dragon. He looked as confused as ever. She didn't want to ride another dragon, she was bonded to hers.

But Galbatorix caught her look of dismay. He spoke with a voice that showed he would not take no for an answer. "Riding Shruikan will prepare you for riding your own dragon."

Anna attached the sheath to her belt and returned the sword there. It fit snug, making no noise at all. Then reluctantly she reached toward the black dragons mind. He responded, and their minds joined.

_It is not wise to be out this late. __Shruikan informed, contacting his rider for possibly the fifth time. In all honesty he was worried. His rider was young, but he was no fool. Shruikan didn't understand why he was this tense. Everything would be fine, and tomorrow they would go flying, just like his rider promised._

Shruikan met her eyes. They had lost all their composure, as if reliving this memory had drained every ounce of strength from him, replaced by pure terror. He shook his massive head, but no matter how hard he fought the images kept rolling through both of their minds.

_Shruikan! I'm not alone! Hurry! __The words were quick and filled with panic. They sent chills through every muscle and every heartbeat was a pounding in his chest. His wings snapped opened and he took flight. _

Anna gritted her teeth, feeling the fear the dark black dragon felt at that time. Her heart throbbed in her chest, and she felt her knees about to give out. The memory was interrupted when Galbatorix spoke. "I've put wards around the two of you so you can't kill each other. What are you waiting for?" He gave her a rough push, and she stumbled toward the massive dragon. At this point, 'afraid' was an understatement.

It felt so strange being connected with this dragons mind. It was so vast and endless that she almost got lost in it. She came across memories of his training, and how cruel Galbatorix was. Anna doubted he was showing these to her on purpose. She figured that whatever he was thinking also crossed her mind, and it didn't take much reminiscing to trigger a memory.

The black dragon lowered himself so she was able to climb on. She mounted him, trying not to look at the ground as he stood to full height and stretched his wings. The strength in them was obvious, and the scales gleamed in the sunlight. Without hesitation he took off, as if he could escape the horrible memory. It didn't come back, and a sense of relief flooded both of their minds.

He ran along the ground for a moment, his wings tucked tight against his side. She felt him gather strength in his legs and with a mighty roar he flung both of them off the cliff. Under normal circumstances Anna would have screamed, but at this moment her voice didn't seem capable of producing any noise whatsoever.

With their joined minds it felt like she had done this a hundred times before. Even with the fearlessness coming from Shruikan, she was still scared stiff. She clung to his neck as he dove down toward the treetops. To her panic she felt herself start losing her grip. And if that wasn't enough she felt her body rise away from his, making a sense of vertigo take over.

Just as she was about to slip away he angled his tail and swerved upwards, causing her to roughly slam into his back. The breath was knocked out of her, and she glared daggers at the back of his scaly head.

He must have noticed because he sent a wave of apologetic emotions through their link.

But Anna ignored them. She was angry with herself more than at him. She was half wondering why they were flying so fast, but when she looked over her shoulder the reason was quite obvious. Murtagh and Thorn were hot on their trail. Murtagh held his two handed sword high in the air, not even holding onto Thorn. Anna realized he must trust Thorn not to throw him off, and Thorn must have a lot of awareness to sense when he couldn't do any extreme aerial maneuvers

Shruikan and her had none of that awareness of what the other was doing. They were not acting as one, because they were not bonded to each other. Anna was still sour about having to ride this dragon. But that was the least of her worries right now. She held on to Shruikan with her left hand, and with her right she drew the sword Galbatorix had given her from her hip. It was heavy, and she almost dropped it. It was two handed, but she couldn't use both hands, not while riding. Unlike Murtagh, she didn't trust the dragon she was riding with her life.

Thorn grew closer, and Murtagh raised both arms. He brought his sword down. It gleamed in the light, gleamed like blood...

She barely had time to raise her arm up, blocking his sword. But with a flick of his wrist Murtagh sent her sword flying into the distance.

Murtagh was right there, his hair blowing back in the mighty wind. He swung his sword again, this time horizontaly. Anna inhaled sharply, preparing for the blow. She threw her hands up, an involuntary reaction. But the blow she was trying to block never came. Shruikan rolled to the right, leaving Murtagh slicing through thin air.

Anna had wished she hadn't thrown her hands into the air. She immediately attached onto Shruikan, her eyes shut tight. She dared not open them, she still felt Shruikan spinning.

He spiraled downward as an attempt to escape Thorn. Anna opened her eyes. Her sword had landed on a green hilltop, and she realized that was where Shruikan was going.

_If you want your sword, you better jump! _He advised. They neared the hill, and he slowed down quite a bit. Anna took her chance and she dove for the hill. He swept down low enough that it wasn't too far, but it still took a great deal of courage. She rolled as soon as she hit the ground, transferring all the momentum from her leap into a quick sprint. She heard Thorn land behind her. Murtagh must have been to afraid to jump, buying Shruikan some time to flee. She heard Thorn take off again, and pounding footsteps behind her.

Her sword gleamed in the sunlight. She grabbed it by the hilt, twirling it like she had seen Murtagh do so many times and swung. She aimed downward, which probably wasn't the best idea seeing as how Murtagh sidestepped and lunged at her for a counter attack. Anna stumbled backward with her little time to think and ended up tripping over a rock. She rolled once or twice, stumbled to her feet, and just managed to block a horizontal slash. They remained locked like that for a minute, each trying to overpower the other and disarm them.

But Anna wasn't about to play fair. She swept her leg from left to right, knocking Murtagh off his feet. He fell to the ground with a thud. Anna aimed her sword downward, and with a stabbing motion she attacked.

But Murtagh was quicker than that. By the time it took her to aim her sword down he was already rolling away. He got to his feet, sweat running down his face. Anna was likewise, trying to regain her strength.

The dragons roared overhead, trying to gain an advantage over the other. Their roars were so loud that Anna almost didn't hear Murtagh draw a knife from his side. He through it in the blink of an eye. It spun twice, and everything seemed to slow. Her heart beat in her chest as she saw the blade only a horse length away from her head. In those crucial seconds she let her whole body go limp and drop to the ground. The dagger impaled a young sapling behind her, but she instantly pushed off the ground with her hands.

Murtagh was charging her, his sword held high. He faked a downward slash, but then angled it to the side. Anna had no time to adjust her block and his sword met her breastplate. It bounced off with a loud thud, and she felt the whole piece of armor vibrate hard. It bruised her torso, but more than that it astounded her that so much power could be behind a Riders Sword. Of course she was less appreciative at the time, with her whole body shaking in agony.

At the same time Murtagh launched an assault on her mind. Her defenses fell easily with the pain distracting her from guarding the barriers. Murtagh could kill her now had it been a real battle, which seemed to conclude the spar as he sheathed his sword.

_You did well. You too, Shruikan. _He spoke into both of their minds. Anna was about to thank him before politely demanding that he leave when another voice spoke. It spoke slowly, as if it had difficulty forming coherent sentences. _You will leave! You are not welcome in our sanctuary. _Anna could tell who it was. Even though she had never heard his voice, she could tell from their link that he was the one behind these words. Her dragon.

"Galbatorix must have put the same spell on my dragon that he did on yours." Anna muttered aloud. But Murtagh shook his head. "Nay, the spell affects body, not mind. If your dragon has managed to speak after only a couple of days, that means Galbatorix must have found a way to advance their minds, too."

"We need to have a talk with Galbatorix, then." Anna replied. Thorn and Shruikan had long ago stopped fighting.

-----

The mountain came into view and they could see Galbatorix sitting on the ground, staring into two bowls filled with water. He must have been scrying them.

"You return." He spoke as they landed. But Anna had no reason to listen to him right now. She rushed over to her backpack. Her dragon was huddled beside it. It looked slightly larger. Whether it had grown during their sparring or if it had grown overnight and she simply had not noticed she hadn't a clue.

"Since when can you talk?" Anna demanded, almost harshly. But when the baby dragon cowered at her tone she sighed and crouched down so she wasn't looming over it as much. "I'm sorry."

_I-I just could. _It stuttered, staring up at her with big green eyes. Anna looked away, back to Galbatorix. "You did this! End the spell, he doesn't need to grow this quickly!" She felt tears forming in the corner of her eyes but she paid them no heed.

"I did what was necessary." The king replied, his voice having lost no composure. It only angered Anna more that he would remain this nonchalant. But Murtagh laid a hand on her shoulder, and when she turned to see what he wanted he simply shook his head, warning her not to do anything stupid.

But she was done being reasonable. There was hell to pay.

Anna rushed at him, raising her fist and aiming a blow right at his face. But her armor slowed her down significantly, giving him time to raise his hand and catch her fist in his palm. His leg shot out, sweeping her feet off the ground and making her fall on her back. He was probably trying to embarrass her by using her own move against her, Anna decided.

But he wasn't done. He grabbed her by the hair and held her there, forcing her head up to stare into his cold eyes. He spoke slow and menacingly, as if he were about to strike at any moment. He raised his fist, a cruel smile upon his face.

But he failed to notice Murtagh. He had crept up behind Galbatorix, and in the blink of an eye he grabbed the kings head, keeping him in a headlock position while holding a knife to his throat. Galbatorix hardly batted an eye. What Anna and Murtagh were oblivious to at the time was the fact that he probably had wards protecting him from these kinds of attacks.

Galbatorix rammed his elbow into Murtagh, making him fall backwards off the ledge of the cliff. Thorn roared and took flight, throwing himself off the cliff after his rider. Anna lay on the ground, feeling dizzy. Galbatorix walked up to her, the cruel smile that was once on his face gone. He drew back his foot, and Anna closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. She felt a massive pain in her head and she lost consciousness.

-----

_I told you, little one, we are flying today! _The sapphire dragoness reminded. She soared over the camp, her eyes scanning for his form.

_But I want to talk to Roran first, I need to- _Eragon was interrupted by Saphiras roar of excitement. _I found you! _She exclaimed gleefully.

Eragon burst into a run. He was so close to his brothers tent, but Saphira wasn't going to be patient today. Which was a given considering the fact that they hadn't flown together for almost a week now. Nasuada kept him in meetings she held to discuss how exactly they were to take the Empire down. These meetings would not have been so bad had they not lasted from day to night.

_Please, I just want to tell him something really quick! _Eragon pled, doubling his speed. The people of the Varden scattered out of his way and looked at him with confused and angry looks when he nearly bowled one of them over. They gave even more room when they saw Saphira, swooping down like a hawk trying to catch prey.

_You will not put it off any longer, Eragon! _Saphira extended her claws, aiming for his back. Eragon heard her, not even two horselengths away. He thought quickly, ducking and rolling out of the way. Saphira sped past, not being able to turn fast enough. She cursed him through their link and gained height, preparing to come in for another round.

Eragon laughed and entered Rorans tent. His laughter was brought to a halt as he noticed Nasuada. She and Roran must had been conversing until he had come in. He bowed low a muttered a quiet apology under his breath. He was in the process of turning and leaving when Nasuada shook her head.

"No, stay. I was just about to come find you. As I was saying, Roran, I need you to lead this mission. It is much larger than you are used to, but I'm sure you can handle it." After Nasuada was done speaking Roran bowed and said, "I will gladly accept. Thank you, My Lady."

"Eragon, I have some unpleasant news. Do you remember the spies we placed within the Empire a few months ago?" Eragon nodded. He remembered very well. He remembered how almost all of them had been found out and killed.

"Well, the remaining have informed me of a... complication. The message just got here this morning, and I think you should read it." Nasuada reached into her pocket and revealed a slightly beat up letter. She handed it to him, and his eyes scanned over it.

_Ms. Nasuada, I send you this only because I believe it to be of the utmost importance. The kings daughter has become a Rider. I saw it with my own two eyes. She is weak as of now, but she is growing stronger every day. _

_I can give no advice on how to deal with this situation. Please do something fast, though. She is getting stronger, and we cannot afford to have another fully trained Dragon Rider against us. I fear I will be found out any day, so this will most likely be my last report. _

_Farewell, Ms. Nasuada. I regret bringing you this news, but it had to be said. _

_-Robert Tialdson, Fourth Division of mission "Hawkeye."_

Just as Eragon finished reading the letter Saphira forced her head through the opening of the tent, looking around wildly for Eragon. When she noticed Eragon not trying to run, she cocked her head in confusion. He was just sitting there, staring at the letter filled with markings she didn't understand.

When no one spoke she blinked twice, looking from Eragon to Roran and then to Nasuada, all who held a grim expression. _What? _


End file.
